What Is the VCP-VCF Admin Certification?
The VMware Certified Professional – VMware Cloud Foundation (VCP-VCF) Administrator certification validates your skills in deploying, managing, and operating VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF), a hybrid cloud platform that integrates compute, storage, networking, and cloud management services. Designed for virtualization and cloud administrators, this credential confirms your ability to manage VMware’s full-stack hyper-converged infrastructure and optimize software-defined data centers (SDDCs) in enterprise environments.
With the increasing adoption of hybrid and multi-cloud strategies, professionals holding the VCP-VCF certification are in high demand by organizations looking to streamline their IT operations and scale their cloud infrastructure securely and efficiently.
What You Will Learn
By preparing for this certification exam, you will develop a robust understanding of:
Deploying and configuring VMware Cloud Foundation components
Managing workload and management domains using SDDC Manager
Implementing NSX-T Data Center and vSAN for network and storage automation
Performing lifecycle management, patching, and upgrades across VCF infrastructure
Troubleshooting and maintaining VCF environments
Integrating vRealize Suite and other automation tools for Day 2 operations
This practice exam is designed to reinforce both foundational knowledge and real-world application of advanced VCF administrative skills.
Key Topics Covered
This comprehensive practice exam from Exam Sage thoroughly covers the exam blueprint and essential subject areas, including:
VMware Cloud Foundation Architecture
SDDC Manager Operations and Lifecycle Automation
vSphere, vSAN, and NSX-T Configuration in VCF
Management and Workload Domain Deployment
VCF Networking, Storage, and Security Models
Application Virtual Networks (AVNs) and Edge Cluster Setup
Backup, Recovery, and High Availability in VCF
Monitoring, Logging, and Certificate Management
VMware Cloud Builder and Bring-Up Process
vRealize Suite Integration and Automation
Each question is carefully crafted to match the real exam format and complexity, with detailed explanations provided for every answer to enhance your learning experience.
Why Choose Exam Sage for VCP-VCF Admin Exam Preparation?
At Exam Sage, we specialize in developing top-tier exam preparation materials that help you succeed on your first attempt. Our VCP-VCF Admin practice test is curated by industry experts with hands-on VMware experience, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and relevance.
✅ Over 300 realistic multiple-choice questions
✅ Detailed explanations with references to official VMware documentation
✅ Covers the most current version of the VCF exam
✅ Ideal for self-paced study, instructor-led training, or final review
✅ Instant access and downloadable format for convenience
Whether you’re a systems administrator, virtualization engineer, or cloud specialist, this resource will help you master the exam objectives and boost your confidence.
Prepare Smarter with Exam Sage
Earning your VCP-VCF Admin certification proves that you have the skills to manage modern data center environments using VMware Cloud Foundation. With Exam Sage, you’ll get the practice, insight, and exam readiness you need to advance your career in cloud and virtualization technologies.
Start your certification journey today with our expertly designed VCP-VCF Admin practice exam—and take a confident step toward becoming a VMware-certified cloud professional.
Sample Questions and Answers
1. What is the primary function of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)?
A) To provide a public cloud infrastructure for VMware workloads
B) To deliver a complete software-defined data center (SDDC) platform integrating compute, storage, networking, and cloud management
C) To serve as a container orchestration platform only
D) To act as a database management system for VMware environments
Answer: B
Explanation: VMware Cloud Foundation integrates compute (vSphere), storage (vSAN), networking (NSX), and cloud management (vRealize Suite) into a complete SDDC platform that can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud.
2. Which component in Cloud Foundation is responsible for network virtualization?
A) vSphere
B) vSAN
C) NSX
D) vRealize Operations
Answer: C
Explanation: NSX provides network virtualization in VMware Cloud Foundation, enabling virtual networking and security.
3. What is the recommended way to upgrade VMware Cloud Foundation?
A) Manually upgrade each component individually
B) Use the Cloud Foundation lifecycle management tool (SDDC Manager) to perform automated upgrades
C) Use third-party upgrade scripts
D) Upgrade only when critical issues arise
Answer: B
Explanation: SDDC Manager automates lifecycle management, including upgrades of all integrated components, ensuring compatibility and reducing downtime.
4. Which of the following roles has permissions to manage the overall Cloud Foundation system and lifecycle?
A) vCenter Administrator
B) SDDC Manager Administrator
C) NSX Administrator
D) vRealize Operations Administrator
Answer: B
Explanation: The SDDC Manager Administrator manages Cloud Foundation lifecycle operations such as deployment, patching, and upgrades.
5. How does Cloud Foundation handle storage?
A) It uses traditional SAN storage only
B) It leverages vSAN to create a hyperconverged storage solution integrated with compute
C) It requires external NAS storage
D) Storage is not managed within Cloud Foundation
Answer: B
Explanation: VMware Cloud Foundation uses vSAN to pool local storage from hosts into a distributed, shared datastore.
6. What type of cluster is used to provide workloads in a VMware Cloud Foundation environment?
A) Management cluster
B) Workload domain cluster
C) Both A and B
D) NSX cluster only
Answer: C
Explanation: Cloud Foundation uses a management cluster for infrastructure components and workload domain clusters for running tenant workloads.
7. What does the SDDC Manager deploy to manage the lifecycle of Cloud Foundation?
A) Kubernetes clusters
B) NSX-T Managers
C) vSphere clusters and workload domains
D) Only physical servers
Answer: C
Explanation: SDDC Manager automates the deployment and lifecycle management of vSphere clusters and workload domains.
8. Which protocol is commonly used by vSAN to communicate between hosts?
A) SMB
B) iSCSI
C) RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE) or TCP/IP
D) NFS
Answer: C
Explanation: vSAN typically uses RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE) or TCP/IP protocols for efficient communication.
9. How can administrators monitor the health and performance of a Cloud Foundation deployment?
A) Using vRealize Operations Manager integrated with SDDC Manager
B) Only by checking logs manually
C) Using third-party monitoring tools exclusively
D) It cannot be monitored
Answer: A
Explanation: vRealize Operations Manager integrated within Cloud Foundation provides comprehensive monitoring and analytics.
10. What is the default network provider in VMware Cloud Foundation?
A) NSX for vSphere (NSX-V)
B) NSX-T Data Center
C) Cisco ACI
D) Juniper Contrail
Answer: B
Explanation: VMware Cloud Foundation uses NSX-T as its default network virtualization platform.
11. When deploying a new workload domain in Cloud Foundation, what is a key prerequisite?
A) Existing vSAN datastore in the management domain
B) NSX Manager must be deployed and configured in the management domain
C) vRealize Suite must be installed beforehand
D) Physical storage arrays must be connected
Answer: B
Explanation: NSX Manager deployment and configuration in the management domain is a prerequisite to create workload domains with networking.
12. How does VMware Cloud Foundation ensure security across different workload domains?
A) By deploying separate physical firewalls per domain
B) By leveraging NSX-T’s distributed firewall and micro-segmentation features
C) Using only VLANs for isolation
D) By not allowing cross-domain communication
Answer: B
Explanation: NSX-T’s distributed firewall and micro-segmentation provide granular security controls within and across workload domains.
13. What tool does VMware Cloud Foundation use for lifecycle management?
A) VMware Update Manager (VUM)
B) SDDC Manager
C) vCenter Server
D) vRealize Automation
Answer: B
Explanation: SDDC Manager automates patching, upgrading, and lifecycle management of the entire Cloud Foundation stack.
14. What is the minimum number of hosts required to deploy a VMware Cloud Foundation management domain?
A) 2 hosts
B) 3 hosts
C) 4 hosts
D) 5 hosts
Answer: C
Explanation: A minimum of four hosts are required for the management domain cluster to ensure availability and capacity.
15. Which VMware Cloud Foundation component provides cloud management capabilities like automation and self-service?
A) vCenter Server
B) vRealize Automation
C) NSX Manager
D) SDDC Manager
Answer: B
Explanation: vRealize Automation delivers cloud management including automation and self-service portals.
16. What are workload domains in VMware Cloud Foundation?
A) Physical data centers
B) Logical constructs consisting of clusters and networking to run tenant workloads
C) Storage arrays for workloads
D) Only vSAN datastores
Answer: B
Explanation: Workload domains are logical groupings of clusters, networking, and storage dedicated for specific workloads or tenants.
17. How does Cloud Foundation simplify network and security configuration?
A) By requiring manual configuration of each network element
B) Through NSX-T integration with pre-defined network and security blueprints
C) By disabling security features by default
D) By using only VLAN tagging
Answer: B
Explanation: Cloud Foundation includes network and security blueprints to automate and simplify NSX-T configuration.
18. What is the role of the Cloud Builder appliance in VMware Cloud Foundation deployment?
A) It manages workload domains after deployment
B) It automates initial deployment of Cloud Foundation components and infrastructure
C) It replaces vCenter Server
D) It monitors hardware health
Answer: B
Explanation: Cloud Builder automates the initial bring-up and deployment of Cloud Foundation infrastructure.
19. How does vSAN within Cloud Foundation handle data redundancy?
A) By replicating data between hosts using RAID 1 or RAID 5/6 policies
B) It does not support redundancy
C) Only by backing up to external storage
D) By using network backups
Answer: A
Explanation: vSAN uses storage policies with RAID-like methods to replicate and protect data across hosts.
20. Which API does SDDC Manager expose for automation and integration?
A) REST API
B) SOAP API
C) CLI only
D) None
Answer: A
Explanation: SDDC Manager provides REST APIs for automation and third-party integration.
21. Can VMware Cloud Foundation be integrated with public cloud providers?
A) No, it is only for on-premises use
B) Yes, it can integrate with VMware Cloud on AWS and other VMware Cloud Providers
C) Only with Azure
D) Only with Google Cloud
Answer: B
Explanation: Cloud Foundation supports hybrid cloud models and integration with VMware Cloud on AWS and other partners.
22. What happens if a host fails in a vSAN cluster in Cloud Foundation?
A) All VMs on the host are lost permanently
B) vSAN rebuilds data on remaining hosts based on storage policies to maintain availability
C) Host failure causes the entire cluster to go down
D) Manual intervention is required to restore data
Answer: B
Explanation: vSAN automatically rebuilds data to maintain redundancy and availability per defined storage policies.
23. Which interface is used to access and manage SDDC Manager?
A) Command Line Interface (CLI) only
B) vSphere Web Client
C) SDDC Manager Web UI
D) NSX Manager UI
Answer: C
Explanation: SDDC Manager provides a web-based user interface for lifecycle and domain management.
24. What VMware Cloud Foundation component enables containerized workloads?
A) NSX Manager
B) vSphere with Tanzu integrated into Cloud Foundation workload domains
C) vRealize Operations
D) vSAN only
Answer: B
Explanation: vSphere with Tanzu enables Kubernetes container orchestration within Cloud Foundation workload domains.
25. How does SDDC Manager ensure compatibility during upgrades?
A) It does not check compatibility
B) It validates component versions and dependencies before proceeding with upgrades
C) It upgrades all components simultaneously without checks
D) Manual compatibility checks are required
Answer: B
Explanation: SDDC Manager performs pre-upgrade validations to ensure components are compatible and upgrade-ready.
26. What type of IP addressing model does NSX-T support in Cloud Foundation?
A) Only IPv4
B) Only IPv6
C) Both IPv4 and IPv6
D) Neither
Answer: C
Explanation: NSX-T supports both IPv4 and IPv6 addressing schemes.
27. How are workload domains isolated from the management domain?
A) Through physical separation only
B) Through logical isolation using NSX-T and separate vCenter Servers
C) No isolation exists
D) By disabling networking between domains
Answer: B
Explanation: Workload domains have their own vCenter Servers and use NSX-T for network and security isolation from the management domain.
28. What type of user access does the Cloud Foundation management domain typically have?
A) Tenant users only
B) Infrastructure administrators with elevated privileges
C) Read-only access for all users
D) No access allowed
Answer: B
Explanation: The management domain is managed by infrastructure administrators with full privileges to control the platform.
29. Which component manages distributed firewall rules in Cloud Foundation?
A) vCenter Server
B) NSX Manager
C) SDDC Manager
D) vRealize Operations
Answer: B
Explanation: NSX Manager manages distributed firewall rules and network security policies.
30. What is the main benefit of using VMware Cloud Foundation for enterprises?
A) Reduced hardware costs only
B) Simplified deployment and management of a full SDDC stack with automated lifecycle management
C) Vendor lock-in to physical infrastructure
D) Limited scalability
Answer: B
Explanation: VMware Cloud Foundation provides a simplified, automated, integrated approach to build and manage a complete software-defined data center, improving agility and reducing operational complexity.
31. What is the purpose of the Cloud Foundation Workload Domain Management interface?
A) To manage physical hardware configurations
B) To deploy and manage workload domains and clusters
C) To configure vSAN storage policies
D) To monitor network traffic exclusively
Answer: B
Explanation: The workload domain management interface allows admins to deploy and manage workload domains and their clusters within VMware Cloud Foundation.
32. Which of the following is true about the SDDC Manager’s cluster deployment process?
A) Clusters must be manually configured before deployment
B) SDDC Manager automates cluster deployment including ESXi host provisioning and configuration
C) Only network configuration is automated
D) Clusters can only be deployed via CLI
Answer: B
Explanation: SDDC Manager automates full cluster deployment, including provisioning ESXi hosts and applying necessary configurations.
33. How does VMware Cloud Foundation enable multi-tenancy?
A) By using separate physical servers per tenant only
B) Through logical isolation with NSX-T and workload domain separation
C) It does not support multi-tenancy
D) By restricting resource access to root users only
Answer: B
Explanation: Multi-tenancy is enabled through logical isolation provided by NSX-T networking and segregation of workload domains.
34. What must be configured before deploying workload domains in VMware Cloud Foundation?
A) vRealize Suite must be fully deployed
B) Management domain must be operational with networking and NSX Manager configured
C) All physical storage must be formatted manually
D) Cloud Builder must be decommissioned
Answer: B
Explanation: The management domain must be fully deployed and configured with networking and NSX Manager before workload domains can be created.
35. What VMware Cloud Foundation feature provides automated patching and remediation of hosts?
A) VMware Update Manager (VUM) independently
B) SDDC Manager lifecycle management
C) Manual patching via vCenter Server
D) vRealize Operations Manager
Answer: B
Explanation: SDDC Manager automates patching and remediation across the Cloud Foundation environment.
36. Which type of cluster can be created to run containerized applications in VMware Cloud Foundation?
A) Management cluster only
B) vSphere with Tanzu enabled workload cluster
C) NSX Edge cluster
D) Only physical Kubernetes clusters
Answer: B
Explanation: Workload clusters with vSphere with Tanzu enabled support running containerized Kubernetes applications.
37. What is the function of NSX Edge in Cloud Foundation?
A) To provide storage capabilities
B) To offer gateway services, routing, and VPN capabilities
C) To host vCenter Server
D) To manage lifecycle upgrades
Answer: B
Explanation: NSX Edge provides routing, firewalling, load balancing, and VPN services for Cloud Foundation networking.
38. What role does vCenter Server play within a VMware Cloud Foundation workload domain?
A) It manages the vSphere environment within that workload domain
B) It manages the entire Cloud Foundation lifecycle
C) It provides network virtualization services
D) It stores logs for compliance
Answer: A
Explanation: Each workload domain includes its own vCenter Server to manage the vSphere infrastructure within that domain.
39. How does VMware Cloud Foundation ensure data availability during host maintenance?
A) By shutting down all VMs
B) Using vSphere DRS and vSAN to migrate and protect VMs
C) By requiring manual backup of data
D) Data availability is not guaranteed
Answer: B
Explanation: vSphere DRS and vSAN work together to migrate VMs and ensure data redundancy during maintenance.
40. What is a key advantage of using vSAN in VMware Cloud Foundation?
A) It eliminates the need for external storage arrays
B) It requires expensive third-party SAN hardware
C) It only supports file-based storage
D) It is incompatible with NSX-T
Answer: A
Explanation: vSAN uses local disks from hosts to create a shared datastore, removing the need for external storage arrays.
41. How does SDDC Manager validate a hardware configuration before deployment?
A) It runs hardware compatibility checks against VMware HCL (Hardware Compatibility List)
B) It does not validate hardware
C) Validation is manual only
D) It checks only software versions
Answer: A
Explanation: SDDC Manager performs hardware compatibility checks against VMware’s HCL to ensure supported configurations.
42. Which VMware Cloud Foundation component manages distributed switches?
A) NSX Manager
B) vCenter Server within each domain
C) SDDC Manager only
D) Cloud Builder
Answer: B
Explanation: Distributed switches are managed through the vCenter Server of each respective domain.
43. What networking model does NSX-T use to provide connectivity for virtual machines?
A) Layer 2 only
B) Layer 3 routing with overlays (Geneve tunnels)
C) NAT only
D) VLAN trunking exclusively
Answer: B
Explanation: NSX-T uses overlay networking with Geneve tunnels to provide Layer 3 routing between VMs.
44. What is a common use case for workload domains in Cloud Foundation?
A) Running infrastructure services only
B) Hosting tenant workloads and applications
C) Managing physical hardware only
D) Acting as backup domains
Answer: B
Explanation: Workload domains are dedicated to running tenant workloads and applications separate from the management domain.
45. What role does the Cloud Builder appliance play after the initial deployment?
A) It remains active to manage upgrades
B) It is typically removed or powered off after deployment is complete
C) It manages network traffic
D) It manages user authentication
Answer: B
Explanation: Cloud Builder is a one-time deployment tool and is usually decommissioned after Cloud Foundation is deployed.
46. Which storage policy would you use in vSAN to ensure a VM has two copies of its data?
A) RAID 0
B) RAID 1 (Mirroring)
C) RAID 5
D) No storage policy needed
Answer: B
Explanation: RAID 1 mirrors data to maintain two copies, providing redundancy.
47. How does VMware Cloud Foundation handle certificate management?
A) Certificates are managed manually only
B) SDDC Manager automates certificate generation and renewal via VMware Certificate Authority (VMCA)
C) No certificate management is provided
D) Only third-party certificates are supported
Answer: B
Explanation: SDDC Manager automates certificate lifecycle management using VMCA.
48. Which feature of NSX-T allows for micro-segmentation?
A) Distributed Firewall
B) Edge Gateway
C) VLAN Segmentation
D) Static Routing
Answer: A
Explanation: NSX-T Distributed Firewall enables micro-segmentation, allowing granular security at the VM level.
49. What is the default login method for SDDC Manager?
A) Local OS authentication only
B) Integrated with VMware Identity Manager or Active Directory
C) SSH key only
D) No authentication required
Answer: B
Explanation: SDDC Manager supports integration with enterprise authentication systems like Active Directory.
50. Which API is primarily used for interacting with NSX-T Manager?
A) REST API
B) SOAP API
C) CLI only
D) SNMP
Answer: A
Explanation: NSX-T Manager provides RESTful APIs for automation and integration.
51. What is the minimum number of hosts required in a vSAN cluster within a workload domain?
A) 1 host
B) 2 hosts
C) 3 hosts
D) 4 hosts
Answer: C
Explanation: A minimum of three hosts is required to form a resilient vSAN cluster.
52. What is the purpose of the workload domain template in Cloud Foundation?
A) It stores backup images of VMs
B) It defines the standard configuration and deployment parameters for workload domains
C) It is used to deploy NSX Managers only
D) It monitors resource utilization
Answer: B
Explanation: Workload domain templates define standardized cluster and network configurations for repeatable deployments.
53. How does Cloud Foundation manage patching of NSX components?
A) NSX components are patched manually
B) Patching is automated and coordinated by SDDC Manager lifecycle management
C) NSX components cannot be patched
D) Patching is handled via vRealize Automation
Answer: B
Explanation: SDDC Manager automates lifecycle management including patching of NSX components.
54. What is the purpose of the Cloud Foundation Management Domain?
A) To run tenant workloads
B) To host infrastructure services such as vCenter, NSX Manager, and SDDC Manager
C) To serve as a backup environment
D) To store logs only
Answer: B
Explanation: The management domain hosts core infrastructure components managing the entire Cloud Foundation deployment.
55. How are network segments created in NSX-T?
A) Through VLAN configuration only
B) By defining logical switches within NSX-T
C) By manually configuring physical switches
D) Through vSAN policies
Answer: B
Explanation: NSX-T creates logical network segments (logical switches) to provide network isolation and connectivity.
56. Which Cloud Foundation component provides automation for VM and application deployment?
A) NSX Manager
B) vRealize Automation
C) vCenter Server
D) Cloud Builder
Answer: B
Explanation: vRealize Automation offers automation capabilities for VM and application provisioning.
57. What backup strategy is recommended for the Cloud Foundation management domain?
A) No backup required
B) Regular snapshots and backups of vCenter, SDDC Manager, and NSX Manager VMs
C) Only physical hardware backups
D) Backup only workload domain data
Answer: B
Explanation: Critical management VMs should be regularly backed up to ensure recovery capability.
58. How are workload domains isolated in terms of management access?
A) Same vCenter Server as the management domain
B) Each workload domain has its own dedicated vCenter Server instance
C) No isolation of management access exists
D) Managed only by Cloud Builder
Answer: B
Explanation: Each workload domain has its own vCenter Server for management isolation and autonomy.
59. Which of the following is NOT managed by SDDC Manager?
A) Deployment of workload domains
B) Lifecycle management of Cloud Foundation components
C) Configuration of guest OS inside VMs
D) Automation of patching and upgrades
Answer: C
Explanation: SDDC Manager manages infrastructure lifecycle, not the guest OS inside VMs.
60. What is a key benefit of NSX-T’s overlay network in Cloud Foundation?
A) Requires VLANs for all traffic
B) Enables scalable network segmentation independent of physical infrastructure
C) Limits network scalability
D) Requires physical routers for all VM traffic
Answer: B
Explanation: NSX-T overlay networking allows for highly scalable, flexible segmentation decoupled from the physical network.
